Apparatus of the kind described is primarily used for suspending facia plates on building structures, but may also be used for the fastening of other building elements, although the fastening of facia plates is the preferred sphere of utilization of this present invention.
Facia plates of the kind here concerned are those which need to be adjustable relatively to the building structure. They have to be capable of adjustment in all three dimensions, and the suspension apparatus must permit an adjustment without the security of the suspension arrangements having to suffer. In particular moreover, it must be possible to perform such an adjustment in easy and simple fashion, that is to say the adjusting elements must be readily accessible and care must also be taken that the adjustment, when made, will not be upset.
As a rule two suspension elements are provided for each plate. The heightwise level can be set by adjustment of the effective position and performed by rocking about a horizontal axis. A lateral movement of the facia plates relatively to the wall surface is also possible within certain limits. The required spacing is achieved by use of a special setting arrangement constituted by spacer screws.
The required adjustment of the facia plate relatively to the wall surface calls for the suspension members to be movable to an adequate degree. The members must therefore have joints both in the region of the attachment to the facia plates and at the point of suspension to the wall surface, and preferably these joints are universally adjustable.
The need to have a suspension member which is in several parts which are pivotable to one another makes the operations with this apparatus difficult. Another problem is to be found in the fact that the superimposed parts must be flush with one another to exclude local excessive stresses and deformation. This is particularly important because, after the facia plates have been erected, there is no longer a facility for access to the suspension members, that is to say inaccurate dispositions cannot afterwards be corrected.